The invention relates to a telephone with a housing that comprises a plurality of coverable control keys at the front and a cover movable between a closed position in which said control keys are covered and an open position in which the cover is flapped down around a pivot axis near to an edge of the housing, in which open position said control keys are accessible for operation.
Telephones of this type are known in various embodiments (EP 0 492 748 A2; Japanese published patent application 3-244182). The microphone of the telephone is known to be accommodated in the flap-down flap. The flap has for its object to minimize the dimensions of the telephone during the time the telephone is not used. It further has for its object to provide a protection of the control keys which cannot be depressed inadvertently due to the presence of the flap and in closed position of the flap.
A drawback of telephones of above type is that the flap is relatively vulnerable also in closed position. The flap is pivoted exclusively along an edge of the housing. The length of the flap in said known telephones is larger than the width of the flap, so that a relatively large lever arm is present for forces exerted near to the free end of the flap. Another drawback is that minor forces are already sufficient to open the flap, that is, partly, so that the flap is easily caught on an object, for example when the telephone is put away in the inside pocket of a piece of garment or in a bag.